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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28273236">lucky sevens and one-eyed jacks</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/takethebreadsticksandRUN/pseuds/takethebreadsticksandRUN'>takethebreadsticksandRUN</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Magnus Archives (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff and Humor, Gen, M/M, No beta we die like the mechanisms, Pre-Slash, SEXY TIM RIGHTS, The Mechanisms Were Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist's College | University Band, Tim pov, alternate take on how basira and jon run into each other in canon, as a treat, ashes is nonbinary that is very important to me, basira is so so strong, can that be an official tag please?, dasira is canon here i just think lesbians are neat, i have suddenly forgot How To Tag, i like him lots okay????, i realized how gay i am for ashes o'reilly while writing this, ignore canon it doesn't matter here, let's cover our bases, martin pines what else is new, mlm/wlw solidarity am i right?, no mention of the entities, set somewhere in season one, they can a little rights, uhhhh, wow that's a tag huh</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:48:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,188</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28273236</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/takethebreadsticksandRUN/pseuds/takethebreadsticksandRUN</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Instead of the whole police debacle, what if the first time Jon and Basira meet in-canon is a reunion between two bandmates? </p><p>Tim brings Basira down to the Archives when she wants to speak with the Archivist. Jon doesn't know she's coming, Basira doesn't know he's the Archivist, and Tim doesn't know anything about his straight-laced boss' steampunk band.<br/>Chaos and hilarity ensue.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Martin Blackwood &amp; Sasha James, Martin Blackwood &amp; Tim Stoker, Martin Blackwood/Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist, Sasha James &amp; Tim Stoker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>335</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>lucky sevens and one-eyed jacks</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i had an idea- so we all know about the mechs au right? well, what if basira was in on it too?? i love ashes o'reilly so much y'all don't even know. i listened to lucky sevens, pump shanty, and one-eyed jacks on repeat while writing this and i think it really shows. i did my best to capture basira/ashes/frank voss' voice, if you can picture them talking like this i did it right!<br/>please let me know what you think! feedback is really important to meeee&lt;3&lt;3<br/>enjoy!<br/>xxx</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            “Tim, what are you doing?”</p><p>            Sasha paused in the doorway to his office, laughing at him.</p><p>            “Working,” he replied, eyes closed.</p><p>            She made a disbelieving noise. “Sure. What exactly are you getting done by laying on the floor?”</p><p>            Tim sat up, stretching. “Stress relief.”</p><p>            “You’ve got me there.” She brushed a stray hair behind her ear. “Do you have a moment you could take a break from your stress relief?”</p><p>            He shrugged teasingly. “Depends on what for.”</p><p>            Sasha gestured vaguely at the ceiling. “Just got a message from Rosie. Someone’s upstairs asking for Jon. Do you want to go take care of it? I’m pretty sure someone will have to be on damage control, just in case it’s another heckler.”</p><p>            Tim leapt to his feet, cracking his knuckles. “You’ve got it. Did she say who?”</p><p>            Sasha shook her head. “Nope. I would go take it, but I really would rather not do it myself.”</p><p>            He bumped her with his hip on his way out the door. “My pleasure, Sash.”</p><p>            Upstairs, an intimidating woman was standing next to Rosie at the reception desk. They both looked up as Tim walked toward them.</p><p>            “Ah, Tim!” Rosie exclaimed, relief evident in her voice. “There you are. This is Basira, she wants a word with the Archivist.”</p><p>            Basira crossed her arms across her chest, a police badge glinting against her dark shirt. She didn’t say anything, Tim’s smile faltering a little.</p><p>            He recovered quickly, trying to ignore the hostile way she was eyeing him. He was used to attention, of course, but usually, it was much less…<em>terrifying</em>. “Right this way ma’am,” he said, leading her over to the staircase to the Archives. “I’m Tim Stoker, an archival assistant.”</p><p>            She shook his proffered hand, her grip firm and strong. Vaguely, he thought she would be able to snap him in half if she so desired.</p><p>            “Basira Hussain.”</p><p>            “Are you from the police?” he asked gingerly.</p><p>            She shrugged noncommittally. “Yeah, but that’s not why I’m here.” She didn’t elaborate.</p><p>            Tim sucked a breath in through his teeth, his talent for small talk and making people feel at ease vanishing under her icy glare. “Alright then,” he said quietly, mostly to himself.</p><p>            They rode the lift in silence, Tim feeling quite out of his death beside Basira. She was almost as tall as he was and built solid as a brick wall. She shifted on her feet, standing like she was expecting an attack from any direction.</p><p>            <em>Strange woman, </em>he thought.</p><p>            Outside of Jon’s office, he hesitated before knocking. Their boss could be quite…<em>unpleasant</em>, especially this early in the morning. Steeling himself, he rapped three times in quick succession.</p><p>            Jon’s clipped voice called from within, “Come in.”</p><p>            Tim opened the door, trying to act casual and not at all like he was pinned between two absolutely terrifying forces of nature- a scary policewoman who could pick him up and a scary boss man who could chew him out without batting an eye.</p><p>            “Jon, this is Basira Hussain. She wanted to speak with you.”</p><p>            As soon as the words left his mouth, something very strange happened. The air in the room softened, somehow, the tension turning into something almost<em> friendly</em>. Jon looked up from his papers quickly, knocking aside a mug of identical blue pens.</p><p>            Basira laughed, once, a sound that made her seem more human. Tim looked at her, confused, to see an excited expression crossing her face, the first show of emotion he had seen from the woman.</p><p>            “Basira?” Jon asked quietly.</p><p>            She strode forward confidently, arm extended. Jon didn’t shake it, instead bumping fists. “Well, if it isn’t Jonny d’Ville!” she said, laughing again.</p><p>            What happened next rocked Tim’s world, erasing his knowledge of the way the world worked and his place inside it.</p><p>            Jon <em>smiled</em>.</p><p>            Not a tight thing reserved for corporate meetings and silently cursing Elias, but a wide, almost manic smile, warming his eyes and transforming his face. “Ashes! Last I heard, you had blown up a planet.”</p><p>            Nothing made sense anymore. Tim could feel his grasp on reality slipping out from beneath his feet. Sasha appeared at his shoulder, gaping at the scene before him.</p><p>            Basira smiled, her posture easy and open now. “You don’t look too bad for someone who died in a barfight.”</p><p>            Sasha turned to him, mouthing <em>what?</em></p><p>            Tim shrugged.</p><p>            “Well, turns out immortality isn’t something I’d like to give up, as a matter of fact.” Jon sounded <em>happy</em>, bantering with her.</p><p>            “Mmm, don’t let Doc hear you saying that.”</p><p>            “Like hell if I care.”</p><p>            They both were laughing now, their conversation easy in the same way best friends might greet each other.</p><p>            Martin, who was passing by on his way to Artifact Storage, froze in the doorway. He coughed. “Um, Tim, who’s that?’</p><p>            Tim shrugged once more. “No clue,” he said quietly. “But I think she knows Jon, somehow?”</p><p>            The two didn’t hear the assistants whispering.</p><p>            “So, first mate, how’d you end up in a dusty basement, of all places? Ivy would be <em>so </em>jealous.” Basira sat down in the chair opposite the desk.</p><p>            Jon leaned back in his chair, looking much younger with a smile playing across his lips. “That’s captain to you. A life in the ivory tower of academia seemed like a great break from starting another rebellion, but I’m not sure now. What about you? Where are you these days?”</p><p>            Basira tapped the police badge on her chest. “Joined the force a few years ago. I can tell you I would much rather be breaking the law than enforcing it, I haven’t had time for arson since I last saw you.”</p><p>            Tim would require dental surgery soon to reattach his jaw to his face. When he thought about it, they truly didn’t know anything about their cranky boss so a few strange revelations could be expected, but <em>this was just downright strange</em>. Arson? Captain? Barfights? Who <em>was </em>this person?</p><p>            Jon made a noise of approval. “Of course, that is to be expected. Still ACAB?”</p><p>            “Still ACAB,” she affirmed. Basira sighed happily. “Of all things I expected to happen today, running into you was not on the list. You’re the first person I’ve seen since the crew split. You hear from anyone lately?”</p><p>            He shook his head. “I heard the Tin Soldier actually ran away to join the circus a few years ago. They said something about Raphaella coming with them, but that’s about it.”  </p><p>            Tim decided enough was enough. “Um, excuse me?” he said loudly. “Sorry to break into the cozy catch-up, but what the <em>bloody hell is going on here</em>?”</p><p>            Martin was looking from Basira to Jon with a distrustful look on his normally smiling face. Sasha was laughing silently into her hand.</p><p>            Jon cleared his throat sharply. “Ah, my apologies, Tim. Basira and I knew each other in uni.”</p><p>            Sasha spoke up. “What kind of uni did you go to? From the sound of it, you two were either theater people or joined some sort of mafia.”</p><p>            Basira burst out laughing. “She’s pretty close. Jon, did you not tell them?”</p><p>            Jon suddenly found the bookshelves behind her very interesting.</p><p>            “Tell us <em>what</em>?” the three chorused.</p><p>            “We were, er, bandmates,” he said stiffly, not meeting any of their eyes.</p><p>            Martin choked. “You were in a <em>band</em>?”</p><p>            “Not just any band.” Basira turned to face them, smirking slyly. “A storytelling cabaret of immortal space pirates.”</p><p>            Jon swore under his breath. “Ashe- <em>Basira</em>, when you say it like that you make me sound insane.”</p><p>            “What, like you aren’t?”</p><p>            Tim had stopped functioning. The flow of their jabs washed over him as he struggled to comprehend what had just been said. “I’m sorry,” he managed finally, trying not to break down into laughter. “Did you say- <em>immortal space pirates? </em>Was our stick-up-the-arse boss, Mr. MLA-formatting-is-too-unorganized, the man who wears sweater vests and only drinks Early Grey, a <em>space pirate?</em>”</p><p>            Sasha was unable to contain her laughter. “Jon! How did you hide that from us?”</p><p>            Jon went red. He mumbled something about being unprofessional, still making a herculean effort not to look at any of them.</p><p>            Basira pulled out her phone. “I’ve got pictures,” she whispered conspiratorially.</p><p>            “You do not,” Jon said disbelievingly, looking terrified.</p><p>            Ignoring his panic, she swiped through her photos before handing her phone to Tim.</p><p>            Slowly flipping through picture after picture of the steampunk band members, some sporting goggles, wings, elaborate face paint, or numerous musical instruments, Tim felt like Christmas had come early. When he landed on a photo of a man with quite spectacular eyeliner, he froze.</p><p>            “Boss,” he said slowly, “Is this- you?”</p><p>            He nodded miserably.</p><p>            In the picture, Jon was standing, his legs planted quite aggressively, several belts laced across his chest. His face was screwed up in concentration, most likely singing something.</p><p>            Tim looked from the man in the picture to the man before him, comparing the two. When he couldn’t reconcile his notion of the boss with the unfortunately attractive man in the photo, he handed the phone to Martin.</p><p>            Martin almost died right there. Tim laughed to himself, thinking of the headline: <em>GAY MAN DIES AFTER EXTREME GAY HEART ATTACK UPON VIEWING PHOTO OF HOT BOSS FOR WHOM HE HAS VERY GAY FEELINGS FOR</em>.</p><p>            He thought it might be a first.</p><p>            Sasha shrieked with laughter when she saw the picture. “Jon, you were hot!” she said disbelievingly.</p><p>            “Not a compliment,” he muttered, “When you say it like that.”</p><p>            Basira chuckled. “Yeah, he was. Look how times change, y’know?”</p><p>            Martin made an offended noise. “Hey, he’s still-“ He blushed furiously, not finishing his sentence.</p><p>            Trying desperately to regain a handle on the situation, Jon cleared his throat. “Er, Basira, was there something you wanted to talk about?”</p><p>            She shrugged. “Nothing important. Just a complaint about the prick who runs this place, Douchard or whatever.”</p><p>            Nobody corrected her.</p><p>            Sasha paused in her swiping to show Basira the phone. “Is this you?” she asked in wonder.</p><p>            She grinned. “Yep, that’s me. Ashes O’Reilly, quartermaster of the Starship Aurora, resident arsonist, and bass guitarist.”</p><p>            “You are a <em>knockout</em>.”</p><p>            Tim had to agree, but he thought if he said anything he might lose a few teeth.</p><p>            “Thanks, babe.” Basira turned back to Jon. “Well, <em>captain</em>-“ She made the word sound like an insult. “I’ll leave my complaint with HR, alright? I think they might be better suited to it. It was lovely to see you again. We’ll have to catch up sometime, but I’d best be getting back. Daisy’ll be waiting for me.” She smiled at them, shaking Tim’s hand. “Hopefully I’ll see you lot soon.”</p><p>            With a final wave, she vanished into the hallway.</p><p>            Jon looked like he was fighting an extreme battle with himself. “Wait, Basira!” he called.</p><p>            She poked her head back into the office. “Yeah?”</p><p>            “Dinner and drinks on Friday? You can bring your partner and meet up at the pub just ‘round the corner?”</p><p>            Basira nodded. “Sounds good. I’ll be there at seven.”</p><p>            Then she was gone.</p><p>            Tim rounded on Jon. “What was that all about?” he demanded.</p><p>            Jon groaned, letting his head fall to his hands. “Do I have to tell you?”</p><p>            Sasha plopped down in front of him, sticking her feet up on his desk. “Yes, absolutely. We’re not leaving until we get the whole story, right guys?”</p><p>            Tim sat down at her feet, leaning against the chair. Martin stood behind them, looking a little awkward and still very red in the face.</p><p>            “Fine, fine, I don’t know quite where to start…”</p><p>            “At the beginning?” Tim prompted innocently.</p><p>            “That’s a little difficult, we also were time-travelers,” he said softly.</p><p>            Sasha’s feet slipped off the desk. “Spill. <em>Now</em>,” she commanded. “Or I’ll find YouTube videos.”</p><p>            “In song form!”</p><p>            Jon rubbed his eyes with a weary hand. “No, Tim, I’m not going to sing for you.”</p><p>            “Please?”</p><p>            “<em>No. </em>We were called the Mechanisms, the crew of the Starship Aurora-“</p><p>            Sasha waved her phone at him. “No, <em>Jonny d'Ville</em>, you don’t have to sing for us, but can you at least make it a performance.”</p><p>            Jon looked at them, from Tim’s gleeful expression, Sasha’s cunning smile, to Martin’s pleading eyes-</p><p>            “Alright,” he relented, getting to his feet. “You want a performance? You’ll have one.”</p><p>            He slipped on a smile like a loaded gun, pushing his chair out of the way.</p><p>            “<em>Killers and renegades, liars and thieves, welcome to the story of the Mechanisms, the crew of the Starship Aurora, roving through the galaxy, having fun, violence, adventure, violence, violence… Allow me a brief moment of self-indulgence to introduce you to the crew of our mighty starship. There’s Drumbot Brian, our pilot. Ashes O’Reilly, quartermaster. Gunpowder Tim, our master-at-arms. Baron Marius von Raum, ship’s doctor. Raphaella la Cognizi, science officer. Ivy Alexandria, our archivist. And last, but the very opposite of least, myself, Jonny d'Ville, your humble captain.”</em></p><p>            As Jon launched into the twisting tales of space battles and evil kings, Tim thought there was no better way to spend the day. What could beat listening to your boss sing their way through twisted fairy tales?</p><p>            Well, maybe teasing Jon about this afterward.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>title from the mechs songs which are very much amazing, "One-Eyed Jacks," and "Lucky Sevens." the photo referenced can be found here- https://the-mechanisms.tumblr.com/post/36669995376/photo-aj-adams<br/>comments make my day!<br/>if there is enough interest, i might write chapter two where they meet daisy</p></blockquote></div></div>
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